Tube seal



R. E. GOURE Oct. 21, 1952 TUBE SEAL Filed Dec. 27, 1951 Inventor". Robert B. Goure,

by 2 I HIS Attorney Patented Oct. 21, 1952 3 mutation December 2 1; .mventionrreiates to efrigerating-tapparatus pertains more particularly. to ;-refrigerated ioabinets. at c Refrigerated cabinets usualiiytcomprisezan outer -casez'andadiner. v,Inihorne .ireezers, .for example,

eyaporator tubing is-securedto theexterionsur- ,i-acesiojf aualis of ithe 1iner-.in::heat exch-ang1e -reletionship therewith: .The space between the outer case :andthe-diner ,is usually packed With insulating rmateria-lganzi sealed. The sealing prevents entnanee-rof [moisture into the. space between the case .andii-iner'and therebyminimi-zes cabinet eoigrosion {and :dama-geto the, insulating material. Howeiaer, gin -=such construction it .is essential that tubes passthroughtm router case for7supp1ying; refrigerant ztoji-{and exhausting refrigerant fromithe ev aporatortubingc I t w ii ly, it is *the-nprimary. object :of :my invention :to provide in a .refrigeratedscabinet construction including a; sealed :space wherein eyaporator tubing ;is -:hou-sed, improved means whereby tubes--=towanoiiroun:said evaporator tub- I 'ingtflrampass-iritocthezsealed space*withoutgafiectin ithe. ling-thereof. v

scription proceeds and the :features ;of :nove1ty v :characterize-my invention be pointed out with particularity in' the iclaims-sannexedito and {iorming a partzor this-specification.

;In carrying-out the objects of :my; invention l pre gide arrefrigerated cabinet-construction com-; prisinga lineran outer caseahauinga-faee portion. ,Evaporgator tubing is-securedto theex terionsurfacesgofrthe wall-s voi the liner. .A capil lary tube to :theevaporatoptubing anda suction line .thereirom .are secured tog-ethe :heat ex;-

change relationship rand ,pass integthe (otherwise.

the passage in the outer case and ieonstricts the v block passage for effectively sealing about'the tubes. v I I For a better understanding of "invention, reference may ihehad :to ltheaccbmpa'nying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a rear eievational view-ofa .eezer cabinet; Fig.-l2is. a section taken along Etheiine 22 in Fig. 1,; FigLB is asection tahen zalong the line 3=-3'.in-:Fi'g. .2; Fig...4:iis ia cmssnectional view through theisieeve and: tubv sum;

. Itoirirt E. GoureQErie, Pa"; .assig n or .General 5 Electric "Company, ,a corporation .df-NewJZ 013k 7 iv 7,1e51,'setia1No.26e;eqe

ing therein; and Figifi is :a zperspectiue wielwiot the displaceablemubherlbloek. v finlFigl 1,, .Ima'ue shown, by wayhnif example-is. home :freezer nabmet il including aan outer nasefl and ai -su'rtably hingedziliii 3.. :seen'in Fig.2, the: :iiize'ezer cabinet I ifurther inc'ludesm-zl'iner 14, all the Walls :of which .are suitably :spaoed :from those of the nuterrcase :Secunedtio :the exteriorxsur'face of the main of the'iiliner A in .heat exchange relationship :therewith "are passes of tubingof an evaporatorfi. Y I

The' spa'ce *between the walls of the outer case *2 and theiiiner J! is packed with suitable heatiinsulating material 6'. The-outer case 2;:as "seen in Figs. 2 and '3, is form ed about its upperredges with a face portion 1 'A breaker- :str ip extends between the upper edges of the liner 1 and the inner-edges *of the' ou'ter case -face portion 1. With this construction the insulated space The-- twe'en theouter case 2 and the l-iner i's seaiied. minimizing entrance-of moisture throug'h the euter c'ase into the space between the outer case aniijliner, which would resultincahinet-corrosion and d emerge to "the insulation by the collect-inner ice therein.

Included in the present, oonstructionfis means for providing a sea letlpassage foratcapiilaryjtiibe 9 "and 'a suction'line H! into-the sealed space between the outer case and the liner. "The capil lary tube 9 is connected to the inlet *side of the evaporator 5 and liquid refrigerant is {supplied tirerethrough. The suction lineglfl "is connected to the "outlet "side of the evaporator 5 and vaporone refrigerant is exhausted 'therethrough. The capillary-tube .9 and the 'suction line H] are'secure-dtogether'in heat exchange reiationshipand are together bent "to form a tubing elbow generally designated H finFigfZ.

I: As best seen 'in'Figs. =1, .2 and 3, the rear wall of the "cabinet "i is formed to include a vertical channel '12; Theupp'erend ofthe-c'hannel 1'2 terminates '"a passage "I3 adjacent the face portion *1 "anfli'eadi'ng into the otherwise sealed space between the outer case 2*and the ii'ner3. One side of-theeibow lfl extends"from'thepassage"I3 and "is {disposed in the channel -12 rormn'nmg to the machinery compartment (not shown) "of the c'abinet. *This side of the elb'owiscoveredby a sleeve 14 of rubber or the iike "for-minimizing condensation thereon. 7 'Fitted on 't-hee'lbow H is a short sieeveti of metal :o 'f'the like. As shown in Fig. 4, 'the'space between-the inner'p eriph'ery "of the-sleeve l5 and the outer peripheries of the capillary tube 9 and the suction line -10 is sealed 'by being filled with so'i'der'or theiik'e designated l-'6.- The sleeve -I5 and theportion o'fthe lbow fl -l upon which iittis fittedpass through a passage 3l 1 formediin a member or block 118 of dispilaoeahl'ematerial such as .miiber. Asibest ise'en 2 and 5, the passage l! in the block I8 is inclined. The inclination of the passage I! is such as to be substantially parallel to the outer periphery of the sleeve l5. Thus, there is maximum surface engagement between the sleeve and the block passage. The lower end of the passage I! is substantially in register with the passage I3 in the outer case 2. The upper end of the passage I! 1 is in substantial register with a passage IS in a bracket 20 of L-shaped cross section provided for cooperating with the block l8. Machine screws 2| pass through the rear wall of the outer case 2, the block IS on either side of the passage H, the upright leg of the bracket 20 and thread into nuts 22 which are preferably secured to the bracket. By tightening the screws 2|, the bracket 20 is drawn outwardly toward the inner side of the side wall of the outer case 2. Other machine screws 23 pass through the face portion 1 of the outer case on either side of the block l8, pass through the horizontal leg of the bracket 20 and thread into nuts 24 which are also preferablysecured to the bracket. By tightening the screws 23,'the bracket is drawn upwardly toward theunderside of the face portion 1. When the bracket 20 is drawn sufliciently upwardly and outwardly in the manners just described, the block I8 is squeezed and displaced. Displacement of the block I8 is effective both for sealing about the passage [3 in the outer case 2 and for constricting the passage I! in the block. Constriction of the passage l1 effects sealing about the sleeve l5. Thus, the tubing to and from the evaporator is afforded passage into the sealed space between the outer case 2 and the liner 4 without affecting the sealing thereof.

Whi1e-I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, I do not desire my invention to be limited to the particular form shown and described and I intend by the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a refrigerated cabinet construction including an outer case having a wall and a face portion, a liner and means whereby a sealed space is provided between said outer case and said liner, means for providing a sealed passage of tubing into said sealed space comprising; a passage in said wall adjacent said face portion for affording passage of said tubing therethrough, a member of displaceable material, said member having a passage forreceiving said tubing, said member being engageable with said outer case wall about said passage therein and with said face portion, a bracket cooperating with said member, and means for drawing said bracket toward both said outer case wall and said face portion whereby said member is displaced, displacement of said member being effective for sealing about said passage in said outer case wall and for constructing said passage in said member for sealing about said tubing.

2. In a refrigerated cabinet construction including an outer case having a Wall and a face portion, a liner, evaporator tubing secured to the exterior surfaces of the walls of said liner andmeans whereby a sealed space is provided between said outer case and liner, means for providing a sealed passage of a capillary tube and a suction line into said sealed space for connection to said evaporator tubing comprising; a passage in said wall of said outer case andadjacent said face portion for affording passage of said capillary tube and said suction line therethrough, a sleeve fitted about both said capillary tube and, said suction line ,just inside of said outer case wall, means for sealing the space between said sleeve and said capillary tube and suction line, a block of displaceable material, said block having a passage for receiving the portions of said capillary tube and said suction line having said sleeve thereon, said block being engageabout said passage therein and the inner side of said face portion, a bracket cooperating with said block, and means for drawing said bracket toward both said outer case wall and said face portion whereby said block is displaced, displacement of said block being effective for sealing about said passage in said outer case wall and for constricting said passage in said member for sealing about said sleeve. I

3. In a refrigerated cabinet construction including an outer case having a wall and a face portion, a liner,'evaporator tubing secured to the exterior surfaces of the walls of said liner and means whereby a sealed space is provided between said outer case and liner, means forproviding a sealed passage of a; tubing elbow consisting of a capillary tube and a suction line secured together in heat exchange relationship into said sealed spacefor connection to said evaporator tubing comprising; a channel fQrmed in'a side Wall of said outer case, said channel terminating at its upper end in a passage adjacent said outer case face portion for admitting said elbow into said sealed space, a sleeve fitted on said elbow just inside of said outer case, means whereby the space between the inner periphery of said sleeve and'the outer peripheries ofsaid capillary tube and said suction line. is sealed, a block of rubber conforming to the inner side of said outer case wall about said passage therein and the inner side of said face portion, a pas sage in said rubber block for receiving said sleeve on said tubing elbow, said block passage running substantially parallel to the outer periphery of said sleeve for maximum surface engagement therebetween, one end of said passage in said block being substantially in register with said passage terminating said channel, an L-shaped bracket cooperating with at least two sides of said rubber block, a passage in one leg of said bracket being substantially in register with the other end of said block passage for aifording'passage of said tubing elbow therethrough, means engaging said outer case Wall and one leg of said bracket for drawing said bracket toward said outer case wall, and means engaging said face portion of said outer case and the other leg of said bracket for drawing said bracket toward said face portion, whereby said block is displaced, displacement of said block being effective for sealing about said passage in said outer case wall and for constricting said passage in said block for sealing about said sleeve. I 3

ROBERT E. GOURE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inlthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,830,060 Holbrook Nov. 3, 1931- 2,084,494 Hull June 22, 1937 2,311,758 Johansson Feb. 23, 1943 2, 04,539 Schmidt July 23, 1946 

